Batista Says DOJ Investigation Closure Is ‘Not Vindication,’ Reaffirms Worcester Police Accountability Efforts
By Jerry Filmore
WORCESTER, MA — Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista is seeking to clarify the city’s response to the closure of a federal civil rights investigation into the Worcester Police Department, saying Friday that the decision does not erase the Justice Department’s 2024 findings or end the city’s responsibility to continue reforms.
In an Aug. 14 statement, Batista said the U.S. Department of Justice informed the city that the investigation was being closed with no further action. He acknowledged that the announcement has prompted a strong reaction in Worcester and said the city’s earlier description of the decision had been mischaracterized.
Batista stressed that the closure should not be interpreted as a reversal of what federal investigators found in 2024.
“The municipality’s announcement did not state that the DOJ retracted its findings, nor did it imply that the 2024 allegations were unfounded,” Batista said in the statement.
The distinction is significant for Worcester residents because the federal investigation produced findings involving constitutional rights, police use of force, sexual misconduct and the department’s systems for supervision and accountability.
The Justice Department opened its civil investigation in November 2022 to determine whether Worcester police engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force or discriminatory policing based on race or sex. The investigation examined department policies, training, accountability systems, misconduct complaints and officers’ interactions with members of the public.
In December 2024, the Justice Department announced its findings, saying it had reasonable cause to believe the Worcester Police Department engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that violated federal law and constitutional protections.
Federal investigators found that WPD used excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment, including unjustified uses of Tasers, police dogs and strikes to the head. The DOJ also found that officers sometimes escalated minor incidents by using more force than necessary, including during encounters involving people experiencing behavioral health crises.
The federal findings also concluded that WPD had allowed certain officers working undercover to engage in sexual contact with women suspected of involvement in the commercial sex trade. The DOJ said the conduct violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. Investigators additionally raised concerns about reports of sexual assault and other sexual misconduct by officers, the department’s procedures for handling such allegations and racially discriminatory policing.
Batista said Friday that when the findings were released, he considered them “shocking and unacceptable.” He acknowledged both the harm described in the report and concerns raised by community members, while also addressing the effect the findings had on Worcester police officers who were not accused of misconduct.
According to Batista, the DOJ’s letter closing the matter cited reforms undertaken by the city, including updated policies, training materials, body-worn cameras and strengthened review of police use of force.
Batista said those changes began before the federal findings were released and that the city intends to continue reviewing its policing and accountability systems.
“The closure of the DOJ investigation is not vindication, but it does reflect our progress and should be recognized,” Batista said. He added that the closure would not mark the end of the city’s improvement efforts.
The status of the federal government’s public-facing information adds another layer to the situation. As of Aug. 14, the Justice Department’s online Special Litigation Section cases and matters page continued to list the Worcester Police Department matter as an “Investigation,” rather than under its category of closed matters. Its Worcester case summary also continued to describe the 2024 findings and the DOJ’s commitment to working with the city on remedies.
That online listing does not necessarily contradict the letter described by Batista, because federal webpages may not immediately reflect a change in case status. However, What’s Up Worcester did not locate a separate public DOJ announcement of the closure during a review of the department’s online materials Friday.
For Worcester residents, the closure means the federal investigation and the findings it produced should be understood as separate issues. According to Batista’s statement, the DOJ has ended the matter without further action, but the federal government has not withdrawn its 2024 findings. Batista also said the city considers continued corrective action its responsibility.
The city has several ways for residents to continue raising concerns involving policing. According to the City of Worcester, residents may submit reports of discrimination, bias, harassment or excessive force involving Worcester police through the city’s Investigations Division.
Batista said he has been meeting with community members about concerns, challenges and possible solutions and intends for those conversations to continue. He also said he expects to discuss the city’s corrective actions further at an upcoming Tuesday City Council meeting. The Aug. 14 statement does not provide the meeting time or agenda item number.
Residents can review upcoming meeting information, agendas and supporting documents through the city’s public meeting and agenda system. The city allows both in-person and remote participation at City Council meetings, with participation information provided on individual meeting agendas.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
• Project / Topic: U.S. Department of Justice civil rights investigation into the City of Worcester and Worcester Police Department.
• Current Status: City Manager Eric D. Batista said the DOJ notified Worcester that the matter was being closed with no further action. The city says the closure does not retract the DOJ’s 2024 findings or establish that the earlier allegations were unfounded. The DOJ’s public case pages reviewed Aug. 14 continued to list the Worcester matter as an investigation.
• Key Dates or Decisions: The DOJ opened the investigation on Nov. 15, 2022. Federal findings were announced Dec. 9, 2024. Batista issued his statement regarding the investigation’s closure on Aug. 14, 2026.
• Estimated Cost: The source material reviewed for this article does not provide a total cost to Worcester associated with the DOJ investigation or the city’s resulting reform efforts.
• Timeline: The federal investigation began in November 2022, findings were released in December 2024, and the city says it was notified in 2026 that the matter would be closed without further action. Batista said continued improvement efforts will extend beyond the closure.
• Immediate Next Steps: Batista said the administration will continue police accountability and improvement efforts, continue meeting with community members and discuss corrective actions further with the City Council.
• Primary Sources: City Manager Eric D. Batista’s Aug. 14, 2026 statement; U.S. Department of Justice announcement opening the investigation; DOJ December 2024 findings; DOJ Civil Rights Division Worcester case information; City of Worcester public meeting information.
• What We Do Not Yet Know: The city’s Aug. 14 statement does not provide a complete timetable for future reforms or their total cost. What’s Up Worcester also did not locate a separate public DOJ announcement of the closure on the federal agency’s website as of Aug. 14, and the DOJ’s public case listing continued to identify the Worcester matter as an investigation.
This coverage is supported by our sponsor, Worcester EV’s, Embedded Counsel, Body Vybes by Reanna, and W.S.R & Wellness Coaching
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